


So We Can Do This Together

by QueenOfNewOrleans22



Category: The Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfNewOrleans22/pseuds/QueenOfNewOrleans22
Summary: Max joins a dating website, and David is adverse to the idea of his father dating.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	So We Can Do This Together

"Boys, _boys-"_ Max sighed, recognizing the signs but unwilling to admit that he'd just been pulled into such a stupid situation by four teenagers. He has to admit that they were persuasive, oddly so, but he was their father and had the final say in this household, so when Max had first dug his feet in the ground and denied their requests, they should've listened. 

However, Max was now sitting in front of the laptop, staring at some mystery website that was advertising itself as a dating site for single parents, but his heart said that, for single parents or not, this site was a very, very bad idea, and truth be told, Max didn't want any part in whatever chaos would happen next. 

With that being said, Max wondered if he even had a choice. "Boys, I want no part in whatever this is, so just leave it be." He tried to stand up, but Paul grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back onto the chair. Max grunted, reaching up to adjust his glasses, which had gone askew with the forceful motion. "How many times must I say this?" Max stared at each and every willing face that was staring back, but they didn't look convinced of any imaginary threat. 

"You're lonely, Dad. Just face it." Marko crossed his arms over his chest in an indignant fashion, tilting his head up. "And, yesterday, you were just complaining about how lonely you were!" Marko spread his arms, eyes wide, as if to emphasize his point, which was a good one, Max had to admit. 

"Well, yes, but I want to do this on my own terms." Max found his chair being swivelled around, and he was stuck staring at the laptop screen, which stared back, as if challenging him. 

"Ten out of three singles said to try it." Paul said, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "So that must mean that it's really good." He, optimistic as ever, leaned forward and clicked on the mouse. 

The screen switched, and, suddenly, Max was being asked for his email and phone number. He winced. "Paul, those are always fake." He said, but his reply went unanswered and probably unheard for a long few seconds. 

"That doesn't mean that you can't at least _try_ it." Dwayne said. "C'mon. I'm gonna be leaving the house soon, and David isn't far behind. What happens when Marko and Paul leave? Are you just gonna live a lonely bachelor's life with Thorn?" He motioned toward the dog, who lifted his head, ears perked. 

Max opened his mouth, but Paul shushed him. "Just put your email and number in the boxes, and we can get going." His hands fluttered around in the air, like that of a bird's wings. 

With a sigh, Max did as told. He pressed **ENTER** and found himself being asked about his name, age, and interests. "How odd. Back when I was younger, you had to actually go _outside_ and meet people." Max said, more to himself than any of his boys, who were probably annoyed with his constant half-reprimands. 

It was surprisingly easy to enter all of the information, although Max was weary as his chair was turned again. He found himself staring at a camera, blinking and startled. "No, not now. There's an option to do it later." Max tugged at his tie, not ready to stare at his face and let it be seen by the women who clicked on his profile and would likely laugh. 

"Chill." Marko said. "This is what you look like all the time, so no loss, no gain." 

Dwayne gave him a look. "You look great, Dad, just smile." He said, shifting around, as if he, too, was getting to grow uncomfortable with the process. 

"Yeah. Say 'Cheese'!" Paul grinned widely, as if he didn't think his father knew how to do it himself. 

Faced with either humiliation or getting chastised by his sons, Max smiled weakly and the room was filled with a flash as Paul took the photo. He lunged across his father's shoulder and clicked on the photo's folder. Max grimaced at the photograph that Paul chose, but he had no choice, since it was the best one available at the moment. 

"You look like a dork." David muttered from the other side of the room, arms crossed stiffly over his chest. He had been silent ever since the situation had started, only glaring with that distinct look of distaste. 

"Don't listen to him." Marko quickly said. "He just doesn't like the idea of somebody replacing Mom. Do you, David?" The words felt like an electric shock through the air, and, true as they might've been, did nothing for anybody's nerves, least of all Max's. 

David tossed his head back. "Fuck you." He said, and he turned in his heel and walked away. His footsteps echoed on the stairs, angry and purposefully heavydi

For a moment, only the tense silence could be heard. Dwayne sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, mouth pursed in anger. "Good going, Marko." He said in that classically passive-aggressive way that he usually spoke. 

"What? It's the truth." Marko shook his head. "He's being a baby about this." 

Looking uncomfortable, Paul looked away. He suddenly looked very upset. "I don't think so." He said softly. 

Standing up, Max wondered if he had only further added to his boys' frayed emotions by closing himself off from the mere possibility of dating. He didn't know, and a part of him denied the idea, but another part of him, a much bigger part, knew that it was the truth. 

"I'll finish this later." He said, briefly patting Paul on the shoulder. "Did you finish your homework yet? Both of you?" He looked at Marko as he said that, eyebrows raised in silent knowing. 

Marko groaned. " _Fiii-ine._ Whatever. C'mon, Paulie." He gestured for Paul to follow him as he walked back into the living room, where their homework and books were likely scattered. 

With one last mournful look, Paul jogged after his brother, uncharacteristically quiet with his complaints. 

As soon as they were gone, Dwayne turned and looked at Max. "That's not the only thing he doesn't like." He said, as if picking up a conversation that'd long been abandoned. 

"And what is that?" Max asked. 

"He thinks that you'll forget _us."_ Dwayne said, giving Max a wide-eyed, purposeful look that spoke much more than any words could. And then Dwayne sighed. "I'm gonna go for a walk, okay? I'll be quick." He smiled, perhaps a tad uneasily, and then he walked away. 

-

David wasn't in his room, which was expected. Max knew his son well enough to sigh and open one of the windows that wasn't locked, wincing in premeditated fear as he raised his leg and stepped out onto the roof. 

It was far from safe, but Max knew that it, at the very least, wasn't as slippery as it was in the winter. He crawled out on his hands and knees, feeling a bit like a teenager again as he crept foward and, eventually, got onto his knees for an easier, less degrading process. Max adjusted his glasses and squinted in the darkness before he spotted a familiar head of bleach-blonde hair. 

It was David's safe place - the place he went when he was stressed or angry or scared. He would perch on the roof, silent and dark in his black clothes. Max didn't say anything when he got closer, creeping on the roof until he sat down, shoulder-to-shoulder with David. 

"It's not my choice what you do." David said. "So, yeah, I know." He pulled and tugged at a loose thread on his jeans. 

"No, but I will always let you boys have an opinion in what I do." Max said. "I'm not forgetting your Mother, just because I am exploring the idea of dating, and I surely am not going to forget you and your brothers." 

"Wha-" David paused. "He promised that he wouldn't tell." He muttered. 

"But I'm glad that he did." Max wrapped his arm around David's shoulders to pull him closer. "This isn't a for sure yet, son. It's just a maybe." He said. 

"If you say so." David said, and he didn't sound convinced, but he leaned into his father anyways, so Max counted that as a win. 


End file.
